


Scientific Asset

by Cinder



Series: Whumptober 2019 [3]
Category: Charmed (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Inspired by The Shape of Water (2017)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2020-12-31 06:27:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21098447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinder/pseuds/Cinder
Summary: Macy brings home an unusual friend from Caine labs.*Chapter 1 - Day 10 of Whumptober: "Unconscious"Chapter 2 - Day 6 of Whumptober: "Dragged Away"





	1. Chapter 1

Mal looked at the unconscious man, sleeping in her sister’s bed. She had offered to take a watch, and let Macy get some sleep for once. Her sister hadn’t slept well for weeks. Even so, Macy had only agreed to shut her eyes for an hour or so, and only because Mel had promised her over and over again that she would wake her immediately if the man came back to consciousness. 

He was a man, wasn’t he? 

Mel wasn’t sure – labels didn’t mean much to her, but she was curious – this person could heal grievous injuries, vanish in a flash of light, and who knew what else. Maybe he wasn’t a human, maybe he was an alien who had a name for his people and their unique powers. 

Or maybe he was just a man, gifted with some very odd abilities. 

Mel was jerked out of her thoughts by a low groan. The…man(?) turned his head, his eyes fluttering. For a second, Mel thought he would drop back down into sleep, and then his eyes opened. 

The second his eyes opened, Mel could see the fear in them. He threw himself as far away from her as he could, head turning widely around the room. 

“It’s okay!” Mel said. The man’s eyes darted back to Mel for a moment, and then continued moving, as thought trying to locate every possible threat. “It’s okay. You’re safe,” Mel said, trying to make her voice sound soft and gentle. “I’m Macy’s sister, Mel.”

At the mention of Macy, the man’s eyes darted back to her, and he held her gaze for a moment. Then he began to look more slowly around the room, trying to find Macy. 

“Macy’s sleeping right now. But I’ll go wake her up, okay?” Mel said. She gave a tentative smile. The man didn’t smile back, but gave a tiny nod.

Mel slowly backed out of the room, careful to keep her expression neutral. The second she was out of sight, she began to walk quickly towards the stairs. She wanted to sprint to Macy, but didn’t let herself. If the man heard her running, he might get panicked. 

When Mel found her, Macy was passed out on the couch, splayed out inelegantly. It looked as though she had literally fallen right onto the couch. Maggie came in from the kitchen, munching on a slice of pizza. 

“I tried to get her to eat something, but I think she was asleep before she hit the sofa,” she said. 

“He’s awake,” Mel said. Maggie stopped chewing. Then, both sisters looked down at the sleeping Macy. 

As much as they loved their sister, they hadn’t quite understood what had been going through her mind for the last few weeks. Just that she had come home from her job at the lab most days irritable and tense. She had lashed out more, snapped often. It had been three years since the sister they had never knew had turned up on their doorstep, and during that time she had always appeared shy, warm, and calm. Now she was angry and worried. Mel and Maggie had asked several times, both directly and slyly, what was wrong. But Macy had always rebuffed them. 

Eventually though, Macy had come home one day and confessed that her promotion to Caine labs had come with a new project – a being, who seemed like a human man, that had been brought into the labs to be tested on. This being was extraordinary with talents that were beyond human abilities. But he was warm and kind and talked like a human. 

It got harder and harder for Macy to take blood samples, to test the being’s abilities to heal, to watch as he vanished in a flash of light only to reappear in the same room, looking confused, as though he should have been thousands of miles away. Then, one day, she had come into the room to find Hunter Caine standing over the being, sadistically digging a electric cattle prod into his side, laughing as the being kept vanishing and reappearing over and over again. 

That night, Macy had come home and asked how badly her sisters would mind if she brought home a top-secret lab specimen? 

“Mel?” Macy sat up from the couch, rubbing her bleary eyes. Mel knew she hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep. “Is he –“

“He’s awake,” Mel said.

“Oh God,” Macy scrambled to her feet. “I knew I shouldn’t left –“ Then she was racing up the stairs. 

Mel and Maggie looked once at each other, and then followed their sister. When Mel entered Macy’s bedroom, she found Macy sitting on the bed, talking softly to the being. Her hands were lightly enfolded around one of the being’s. 

At the sound of their footsteps, Macy turned around, a smile on her face. Mel hadn’t seen her sister so happy in a long time. 

“Mel, Maggie, I’d like you to meet Harry,” she said. The being peeked out from behind her shoulder, glancing at the Vera sisters. 

“Hi,” Mel said, while Maggie gave a little wave. 

“Mel and Maggie are my family. You’re safe with them,” Macy said. 

“Thank you.”

Mel jumped at the sound of the being’s voice. It was warm, slightly raspy, but Mel was willing to bet that was more from dehydration than anything else. She caught the hint of a British accent. 

“So…now what?” Maggie said. “I mean, I’m all for breaking people out of labs, but how do we keep Harry safe?” 

“He’ll have to regain his strength,” Macy said. “And then…” she trailed off, clearly just as confused as Maggie on how they were going to get away with robbing a high security lab of its top secret subject. 

“I believe,” Harry said, a small smile on his lips, “that I may be able to help with that. I won’t have to be here long, I don’t want to put you ladies in more danger than I already have.” 

Macy turned her face away, but Mel caught the hint of a frown.

“Once I have recovered, I am sure the magical community will give me shelter.” 

“Magical –“ For a second, Mel thought that his time in the labs must have made him delusional, until she remembered Macy telling her about his healing abilities. “There’s a magical community?” 

“Like, with fairies and elves and –“ Maggie’s eyes were wide. “Can they do magic too? Can we see it?” 

Harry’s smile grew. “If you’re like.”

“Yeah!” Maggie said. Mel couldn’t help but grin. There was a lot of things to worry about – such as Caine labs coming after them, and figuring out if they would be safe in a magical world, but right then, all Mel could think of was the possibilities that were opening up to them. She glanced at Macy, wondering if her sister would object – was it safe for them to leave town so soon after robbing the labs? But her sister, instead, looked radiant with happiness. Her hands, Mel saw, were still wrapped around one of Harry’s. Harry was looking back at her, giving her a shy grin.

Ladies, I think we’re about to have quite an adventure.”


	2. Chapter 2

For an escaped lab subject, Harry surprisingly adapted well to life at the Vera house. It was possible, Macy mused to herself, that Harry simply needed a warm, supportive environment to heal in. She had been initially worried that her and her sisters’ lack of medical expertise would doom them. But Harry’s powers were allowing him to heal quickly, without any needed help. 

After a few days, Harry began to heal enough to move around the Vera house. He seemed just as curious about Macy as she was about him, and the conversations they had never really been able to have in the lab sprung up naturally between them. It wasn’t uncommon to find that they had passed the whole night talking, sharing a pot of tea and a plate of pastries. 

Macy had established a friendship with him while he was captive in the labs, but outside of the labs, their bond grew even stronger. So strong, in fact, that it surprised her. 

It helped that Harry was also friends with her sisters. He was so warm and kind with them, patiently answering their questions about the magical world, about the creatures in it, about where they would go once he had healed enough to travel. 

Whenever Macy would watch Harry talking to her sisters, she would feel something growing inside her. Something that had started when she had first met him in the labs, and was getting stronger and stronger with every passing day.

She tried to push it aside. It was friendship, that was all. She was friends with Harry, had been from the very start. 

And that was what she told herself until Mel walked in on her making dinner one night. 

Macy knew, right from the start, that Mel wanted to talk about something. She would help out in the kitchen if asked, but she didn’t have any real passion for cooking. 

For a few minutes, Mel simply fussed around the kitchen, opening cabinet counters, shifting through the fridge, stealing samples of the dinner Macy was making. 

Finally, Macy couldn’t take it anymore. “Is there something I can help you with, Mel?”

“No,” Mel shrugged. She leaned against the fridge. “So, how’s life?” 

“You know, pretty much the same,” Macy said, playing along. “Work’s crazy cause everyone’s trying to find the magical being we have hidden in our house.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mel said, nodding. “So, what’s up with you and him, anyways?”

“Nothing’s up with us,” Macy said. She grabbed a spoon, plunging it into the mashed potatoes. She began to beat the potatoes a little harder than necessary. 

“You spend all your time with him,” Mel said. “And I know he likes you.” 

Macy snorted, ignoring her fluttering heart. “How do you know that?” 

“I’m really good at reading people.” Macy snorted again, and Mel rolled her eyes. “Fine, Maggie’s really good at reading people, and she mentioned it to me, but even if she hadn’t, I could see that he liked you. He doesn’t exactly have a poker face.” 

Neither of them noticed a figure right outside the kitchen, hidden in the shadows. 

Macy rolled her eyes. “If I had feelings for him, which I don’t, that doesn’t mean anything could happen.”

Mel frowned. “Why not?” 

“I don’t – He comes from a whole different world than me,” Macy said. “One with demons and fairies and mermaids – And, it’s weird. It’s all just weird.”

Neither of them noticed the figure move away, quickly so as not to hear anymore. 

“But we’re going to that world, too,” Mel said. 

“Yes, but I don’t know anything about it, and –, and what if it’s not what we thought, what if –“

“Macy,” Mel said. “What’s really going on?” 

Macy took one look at Mel’s face and knew the jig was up. She tossed the spoon onto the countertop. 

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone before,” she said quietly. 

“Oh Mace,” Mel said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. 

“I’m just – I’m so scared,” Macy said. “This could change everything. My whole world.” 

Mel rubbed a hand up and down her back, sympathetic. 

“And I wasn’t lying about being nervous about our differences,” Macy said. “I mean, it’s not the main reason, but it’s still a big one. I have feelings for someone who comes from a whole other world than me. A world I barely know anything about.” 

“But you won’t be alone,” Mel said. “Maggie and I will be there, every step of the way. Except for, you know, if you tell Harry your feelings. That part might be better off being just you.” 

Macy sniffed, smiling weakly. 

“And yeah, this will change your whole world. But it could be a great change!” Mel said. 

Macy nodded, but didn’t say anything. Mel sighed. “Look, I know this all sounds like a huge cliché, but that’s all I got. Sometimes, no matter how many pep talks someone gives you, you’ve just got to take the plunge.” 

“You’re right. I know you’re right,” Macy said.

“And hey, if it doesn’t work out, then you’ll still have me and Maggie. You’ll always have us.” 

Macy leaned her head against Mel’s shoulder. “Thanks.” 

“What are sisters for?”

“Hey!” They looked up to see Maggie standing in the kitchen doorway. “What’d I miss?”

“Eh, just some sappy talk,” Macy said, holding out an arm to Maggie. The youngest Vera embraced her sisters, all three of them collapsing into a hug. 

“I know these past couple of weeks have been really hard on you guys,” Macy said. “I just want to say thank you. For everything. Not every sister would do what you guys have.” 

“It’s not really that hard,” Maggie said. “I like Harry. Speaking of, you want me to go get him? Dinner seems ready.”

“I’ll do it,” Macy said. “And…maybe you and Mel should start eating without us. I have to talk with Harry about something.” She shared a grin with Mel.

Maggie glanced between the two. “Is this something I should know about?”

“Mel can fill you in,” Macy said, hugging Maggie again. “I’ll be down in a bit.” 

She could hear Mel and Maggie’s chatter as she walked through the living room and up the stairs. The journey made her heart race. It was so bizarre that something as typical as walking through her house would make her this excited. And scared. 

She knocked on Harry’s door, rocking back and forth on her feet. When Harry didn’t answer, she knocked again. “Harry?”

Still no answer. 

She glanced down the hallway, but the bathroom door was open. 

She knocked one final time, then opened his bedroom door. “Harry?” She opened the door slowly, not wanting to frighten him if he had headphones in. Thanks to her influence, he had gotten quite into watching corny TV shows while he healed. 

But he wasn’t in his room. The bed was made, her computer resting on top of it. Everything was clean and neat. There was no trace of Harry’s presence anywhere.

Macy felt fear begin to creep through her.

“Harry!” she turned, heading downstairs. Maybe Harry had gone to help out with supper. He always did offer to he-

Macy stopped dead on the stairs. Harry always came to help with supper. But tonight he didn’t. Unless he had started, and then heard her conversation with Mel –

No. Oh God no. 

“Mace, what’s going on?” Mel and Maggie met her in the living room.

“Harry, have you seen Harry?” Macy asked. 

The sisters shook their heads. 

“Did Caine Labs grab him?” Maggie asked.

Macy shook her head. “Impossible. We’ve been home all day – we would have heard or seen something out of the ordinary.” Her stomach churned. “But Harry – Harry can teleport.” 

“So he just left?” Mel said. “Why?”

“I thought he was going to take us with him,” Maggie said, her voice small. “That’s what we’ve been talking about.” 

“I – I don’t –“ Macy’s heart stopped, as she began to voice her worst fear. “Mel, do you think he heard our conversation?” 

Mel’s face fell. It was far from the “Of course not!” that Macy had been hoping for. Her knees gave out, and she dropped onto the couch. 

If Harry thought she didn’t want him around anymore, then he would have left. She didn’t know where he would go – she didn’t have any clue how to find his world, how to find him. 

She would never see him again. 

She crossed her arms over her chest, tears beginning to form. She could hear her sisters on either side of her, trying to soothe her.

She had ruined everything. 

*

Macy didn’t think she would sleep, considering how much pain she was in. But she was exhausted from crying, and eventually dropped down into a fitful sleep. 

It lasted only a few hours. 

One moment Macy’s eyes were closing, the next was a flash of light and sound and movement. She tried to scream, but something soft was covering her mouth. Light blinded her. 

“Where. Is. It?” 

Macy let tried to fight, but something had her wrists pinned down. Her eyes began to adjust to the light, and she saw the face of Alastair Caine staring down at her. He moved back slightly, and she realized that several men were in her bedroom. Her eyes darted around, taking everything in. Hunter had his hand over her mouth and one of her wrists pinned down, another huge man, one she recognized as a Caine security guard, had hold of her other wrist. 

“Let her talk,” Alastair commanded, and Hunter removed his hand from her face. 

Macy took several deep breaths, knowing better than to yell for help. She wouldn’t get one syllable out before the men swarmed her. “I, I don’t know –“ 

Alastair’s hand shot out, and Macy flinched away, certain she would be slapped. When she felt nothing, she opened her eyes and saw that Alastair had stopped himself, just an inch away from her face. 

“Get them in here,” he ordered to someone she couldn’t see. 

The next moment, two huge men walked through the door of her bedroom, holding Mel and Maggie. 

This time, Macy did scream, not thinking. Hunter clapped a hand over her mouth, shaking her to shut her up. 

Mel and Maggie had their hands bound behind their back and duct tape plastered over their mouths. Both were struggling to escape their captors, who each held them in one meaty arm. 

Macy wrenched her head free of Hunter’s hand. 

“Let them go!” Macy said. “Please Alastair, it was all me. I brought Harry home, hid him from them. They didn’t know anything about it!” 

“You kept a magical being hidden in this house for a whole week, without your sisters suspecting anything? I’m not buying that,” Alastair said. He drew out a gun and placed the barrel against Maggie’s head. 

Mel gave a muffled scream, increasing her frantic struggles. 

“Please, please don’t hurt her,” Macy said, her voice thick with the tears she was holding back. “I’ll do anything you want just don’t hurt them.” 

“Where’s the subject?”

“I don’t know – I MEAN IT, “ she screamed, as Alastair cocked the gun. “He left without telling us, I promise, I promise, please.” 

There was a pause as Alastair considered her words. 

“I don’t buy it,” Hunter said. “It worshipped her. Never even took its eyes off her when she walked in the room.” 

“Then he might have left to protect her,” Alastair said. He took the gun away from Maggie’s head, and pointed it at Macy. “Get up.”

She scrambled out of bed, not caring about anything except that Maggie, for the time being, was safe.

Alastair mentioned to one his men. “Get zip ties on her.” He stared hard at Macy. “You’re coming with us.”

Macy nodded. “And my sisters?”

Alastair reflected a minute more. “They’ll stay here. You two,” he said, pointing to the man holding Mel, and the man holding Maggie, “will stay here with them. And they will go about their lives like everything’s normal, cause it is. Except their sister is sick. Nothing serious, she just can’t go out for a bit.” He glared at Mel and Maggie. “Right?”

Both Mel and Maggie nodded slowly, reluctantly. They could hear the implied threat to Macy. 

“Good. Stick to that script, or she’ll regret it,” he said, glaring at Macy. Alastair grabbed her by the arm, dragging her out of the room and down to the front door. He grabbed her coat and draped it over her shoulders, covering up her hands bound behind her back. Behind her, Macy could hear her sisters’ muffled cries. She hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye. 

“I love you!” she called up to them. Her voice cracked. “I love you so much –“

“Shut. Up.” Alastair said quietly. He moved behind her, now poking the gun into the small of her back. Hunter opened the door, and they walked outside to the car parked in the driveway. 

Inside the car, Macy faced Alastair and Hunter. They sat across from her, Alastair furious, Hunter smug. As the car was started up by the driver, Macy twisted in her seat to get one last look at her home. She thought she could see Mel and Maggie, watching from a darkened upper window. 

Macy swallowed, turning back to the Caines. “What you going to do with me?”

Alastair sighed. “Well, you ‘saved’ the creature from Caine labs. Now let’s see if it tries to return the favor.”


End file.
